Legislation News & Report (TM) 

TheWeekInCongress.com (TM)

Managing America: Public Land

TheWeekInCongress.com (TM)

Week Ending April 20, 2006

H.R.886 To enhance ecosystem protection and the range of outdoor opportunities protected by statute in the Skykomish River Valley of the State of Washington by designating certain lower-elevation Federal lands as wilderness, and for other purposes.

Federal lands in the Skykomish River Valley, Washington State are designated as Wild Sky Wilderness under the management of the Secretary of Agriculture.

106,000 acres would be added to the National Wilderness System and will be know as the Wild Sky Wilderness. The Secretary is authorized to acquire the land by purchase, donation, or exchange but to provide for access to private inholdings.

Lands will be exchanged. If the Chelan County Public Utility District agrees it will swap 371.8 acres within the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest for 1.2 acres on the Wenactchee National Forest to be used to monitor snowpack and runoff to the Lake Chelan hydroelectric project and the hydro projects in the Columbia river basin.. If the County does not use the 1.82 acres as such the title will revert to the US.

The Secretary of Agriculture will manage the land and is directed to establish hiking and equestrian trails and trails adjacent to or providing access to the wilderness.

A (telecommunications) repeater sight is ordered for safety and health and emergency services. Float planes would be permitted to continue on Lake Isabel. The Evergreen mountain lookout will continue in operations

A report is due Congress in two years

Sponsor:  Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA-2^nd)

Vote: passed House by voice vote April 17, 2007

Cost to the taxpayers: No discernible cost

Earmark Certification:   Not applicable to this bill

## All Rights Reserved. © 2007 TheWeekInCongress.com(TM)

No reproduction, language translation or distribution without written permission from TheWeekInCongress.com.(TM)